Children of Paris

this is a city in france the city of paris one day in june the school bell sounds and just as it does everywhere it sounds the start of summer vacation let us spend this summer with the children of paris children everywhere live much the same and yet their life is different many activities in a french child's life are special to growing up in france for 250 years almost every child in paris has seen this puppet show dramatize a story of good and evil [Music] [Music] foreign this story is special to france but as in most children's stories evil ones are defeated though many experiences in the lives of children in paris are different than those in america many things are the same as growing up anywhere [Music] things like playing in the park helping care for baby sisters and playing games [Music] as all children do children in paris also get dirtier than mothers think they should [Music] everywhere growing up is much the same [Music] growing up takes time when we are very young life is much the same all over the world but we do go and there are chores to do perhaps walk the dog or go to the bakers for the family's bread [Music] there are few big bakeries in france the bread comes from a bakery you know right around the corner [Music] the markets almost come to you three times a week all over paris fresh vegetables are sold in the streets this girl is doing some shopping for her mother finding a good bargain is a responsibility and an adventure [Music] for most children helping with shopping is part of growing up in paris [Music] but family duties are soon finished what do you do when work is done it's time for fun [Music] not every french boy has a boat as fine as this [Music] sometimes the things one learns in school can help to fill the hours of a carefree summer day every french child studies art and drawing and most of them enjoy a bit of practice on their own [Music] especially when he can earn a few coins [Music] practice can sometimes be more satisfying when it's your own idea [Music] every town and city has something to inspire a young painter as all children do a french child likes to share his accomplishments and with whom better than grandpa trevor perhaps someday your work will hang in the louvre it is a place you must visit open to all the louvre is probably the most famous museum in the world the arctic holes is the pride of all frenchmen young and old alike [Music] today paris will have a parade on the 4th of july many towns in the united states celebrate america's freedom with a [Music] parade [Music] paris celebrates the freedom of france with a parade on the 14th of july which is called bastille [Music] the children of paris love the excitement of a parade as much as any american child [Music] [Music] this beautiful church is called sacre cur in english you would say sacred heart it is a very famous building in paris today is a special day for the children who have gathered here to receive their first communion for this honor they have worked hard to learn the teachings of their church they and their families are feeling very proud it is an occasion for celebration or eating ice cream [Applause] for taking pictures and for being happy many of the buildings in paris are hundreds of years old they are old but they are clean and well cared for this part of paris is quite far from any park but this would not keep children anywhere from having day after day of summer fun [Music] so summer is a time for nature a time for doing whatever you feel like it is a time for imagination a time when every child can be a hero for children in paris for children everywhere summer is a time for freedom and a time for friends but summer is a time that ends in fall the school bell sounds again all over the world as all children do the children of paris feel that mixture of sadness that summer vacation has ended and the excitement about the new school year ahead life is different in paris and yet it is very much the same wherever we live and grow